Criswell College

The information on this page was last updated 2/14/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

By equipping students to know and love Scripture, Criswell prepares graduates as servants ready to cultivate change, solve problems, make peace, and move mountains.


Contact information

Mailing address:
Criswell College
4010 Gaston Avenue
Dallas, TX 75246-1537

Website: criswell.edu

Phone: 800-899-0012

Email:


Organization details

EIN: 756114836

CEO/President: Barry K. Creamer, Ph.D.

Chairman: Chris Lantrip

Board size: 16

Founder: Dr. W.A. Criswell

Ruling year: 1979

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 06/30

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 1990


Purpose

Criswell College's institutional goals represent its fundamental ambitions and are the basis of departmental planning and operation. All departments establish outcomes that contribute to the fulfillment of each institutional goal.

Goal 1: Provide a more engaging and supportive experience for our students

Goal 2: Grow enrollment while providing support and resources for sustainability

Goal 3: Develop and strengthen the College's network of relationships


Mission statement

The mission of Criswell College is to provide ministerial and professional higher education for men and women preparing to serve as Christian leaders throughout society, while maintaining an institutional commitment to biblical inerrancy.


Statement of faith

Visit: https://www.criswell.edu/about/articles-of-faith/

Transparency grade

A

To understand our transparency grade, click here.


Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Colleges/Universities

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating894 of 1094111 of 126
Fund acquisition rating447 of 109749 of 126
Resource allocation rating945 of 1097105 of 126
Asset utilization rating894 of 1094115 of 126

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
12%11%9%17%19%23%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
2%7%6%9%4%10%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
15%60%67%54%23%43%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
2%7%7%10%7%7%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
85%40%33%46%77%57%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
84%73%71%70%70%75%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
95%92%82%91%64%134%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
79%67%58%63%45%100%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
5%8%18%9%36%-34%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
4%2%5%2%12%-6%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
13%20%22%20%23%18%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
0.500.190.210.210.210.24
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
2.672.592.191.861.863.55
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
1.550.490.460.400.380.87
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
7.3036.257.6060.6678.8443.51
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.140.030.130.020.010.02
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
6.2823.7222.8729.6330.8013.55
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
25%24%14%1%1%1%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
15%22%8%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
141%402%412%463%478%408%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20212020201920182017
Cash$1,914,601$2,746,174$1,766,733$269,851$314,276
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$195,815$209,386$157,741$347,024$213,304
Short-term investments$16,590,564$13,842,767$14,778,936$16,040,428$6,920,433
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$18,700,980$16,798,327$16,703,410$16,657,303$7,448,013
Long-term investments$10,679,574$8,427,979$8,912,201$9,366,003$8,421,398
Fixed assets$18,702,812$11,236,931$5,287,289$4,645,907$4,773,138
Other long-term assets$286,824$284,604$233,501$232,950$5,833,274
Total long-term assets$29,669,210$19,949,514$14,432,991$14,244,860$19,027,810
Total assets$48,370,190$36,747,841$31,136,401$30,902,163$26,475,823
 
Liabilities20212020201920182017
Payables and accrued expenses$503,599$2,193,831$206,078$186,699$154,558
Other current liabilities$12,361$15,039$69,264$24,585$16,627
Total current liabilities$515,960$2,208,870$275,342$211,284$171,185
Debt$10,874,658$2,973,657$28,680$27,480$25,479
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$3,096$3,193$3,288$3,381$3,472
Total long-term liabilities$10,877,754$2,976,850$31,968$30,861$28,951
Total liabilities$11,393,714$5,185,720$307,310$242,145$200,136
 
Net assets20212020201920182017
Without donor restrictions$17,108,969$11,504,538$12,560,391$14,318,912$10,421,840
With donor restrictions$19,867,507$20,057,583$18,268,700$16,341,106$15,853,847
Net assets$36,976,476$31,562,121$30,829,091$30,660,018$26,275,687
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20212020201920182017
Total contributions$6,010,286$6,232,419$3,925,916$2,318,386$2,062,663
Program service revenue$2,231,412$2,226,095$2,066,736$2,145,084$2,174,362
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$1,413,805$876,517$1,391,477$5,160,047$510,380
Other revenue$375,078($34,135)($54,993)$373,994$72,254
Total other revenue$4,020,295$3,068,477$3,403,220$7,679,125$2,756,996
Total revenue$10,030,581$9,300,896$7,329,136$9,997,511$4,819,659
 
Expenses20212020201920182017
Program services$6,716,627$5,403,850$4,641,693$4,490,687$4,804,036
Management and general$1,803,166$1,684,013$1,342,041$1,481,898$1,160,818
Fundraising$680,138$568,960$670,439$435,407$479,611
Total expenses$9,199,931$7,656,823$6,654,173$6,407,992$6,444,465
 
Change in net assets20212020201920182017
Surplus (deficit)$830,650$1,644,073$674,963$3,589,519($1,624,806)
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$830,650$1,644,073$674,963$3,589,519($1,624,806)

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Dr Barry CreamerPresident$198,216
Kevin E StilleyCBO/VP of Finance$136,340
Michael R ClaytonVP of Advancement (Part Year)$111,879

Compensation data as of: 6/30/2019


Response from ministry

No response has been provided by this ministry.


The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 2/14/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

On October 5, 1969, his twenty-fifth anniversary as the pastor of First Baptist Dallas, Dr. W.A. Criswell presented to the church his vision for an institute that would provide biblical teaching for lay people that would be both intellectually and spiritually sound. The church enthusiastically approved the recommendation on October 7, 1970, and began developing the curriculum that would reflect the nature of the lifelong ministry of W.A. Criswell: teaching centered on the Bible, with an evangelical theology and evangelistic passion.

Classes began on January 12, 1971, with two certificate programs consisting of twelve semester hours of study in theology and the Old and New Testaments. On the first night, 329 students enrolled. For the next two years the institute operated as a night school, providing working lay people with an education previously unavailable to them at a convenient time.

By 1973 a three-year diploma program had been established, and by 1977 both a bachelor's and master's program were instituted. The American Association of Bible Colleges (AABC) accredited the undergraduate programs in 1979, and in 1985 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accredited all programs of study. At that time the name of the institute changed to Criswell College. Since its founding, the institute had been housed in the facilities of First Baptist Church, but in 1989 prayers for a dedicated campus were answered and the Gaston Avenue property was acquired. The property was remodeled and in January 1991, the College moved onto its own campus just minutes from Downtown Dallas.

Since that time the College has created and maintained a governing board independent from First Baptist Church Dallas, and developed other undergraduate and graduate programs, diversifying its curriculum to include various majors in addition to the biblical studies major. The College has also established several online graduate degree programs. Beginning fall 2020, each entering freshman who graduates from Criswell does so with a double major (Bible & Theology and another of their choosing), equipping them to influence the culture for Christ in whichever field they pursue.

Although the organization has developed from an institute for lay people to an accredited college, its distinctives have not changed: an uncompromising commitment to the inerrancy of Scripture, expository preaching, the study of biblical languages, personal evangelism, international missions, and hands-on practical ministry training.


Program accomplishments


Needs